


Unmasked

by missycamp



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-24
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-12-06 20:11:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18224882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missycamp/pseuds/missycamp
Summary: Hawkmoth is unmasked and in the process, Marinette finds out that Cat Noir is Adrien--but fear keeps her from telling him the truth about herself.  Until he finally convinces her otherwise.  Akumatization and some action, drama, a little angst, romance and fluff!  Adrienette, LadyNoir, GabeNath.  Long one-shot. Rating for a couple bad words.





	Unmasked

**Author's Note:**

> Since some of the sites I post on undo all my italics, I used stars to stress words and the single parenthesis to indicate thoughts rather than spoken word

WARNING: CONTAINS ONE SPOILER FOR SEASON THREE, EPISODE 2. If you would like to read this story without that, please email me at missycamp.com and I will send it to you that way. (Put "Ladybug" in the title bar)

 

"Natalie," begins Gabriel, "I'm so tired of losing. I've akumatized half of the city--all at once, one time, as you know. Yet still, I cannot seem to get my hands on the magic jewels I need. I think the time has come again for me to fight for them *myself.* If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself, right? I don't want my son to spend one more Christmas without his mother!"

"I understand your feelings, sir, but...don't you think that's dangerous? I mean as you said, you had an ARMY of akumatized people with you the last time you faced them yourself, and you were still unsuccessful. Maybe you should just keep doing things the way you have been. Surely ONE akumatized person will be successful eventually..."

"I can't wait for that to happen, Natalie. The very next time I use my akuma, I will hope for success, but I won't be expecting it. I'll be waiting in the shadows for them to fail, and then make my move after Ladybug and Cat Noir have used their powers. If I can keep them busy long enough, they'll transform back and then they'll be powerless! That is probably going to be the best chance I'll ever get to take their Miraculous!"

"You've already made up your mind about this, haven't you, sir? In that case, I will watch over you from here. If you get into trouble..."

"Absolutely not!" He faces her in anger. "You will, under *NO* circumstances, use the Peacock Miraculous again, Natalie! I forbid you! Do you understand?"

"Y-yes, sir. Then please, do be careful. Those two are very clever." Her face shows her worry...and something more, a little deeper.

Mr. Agreste's hard face softens. He puts his hand on Natalie's shoulder. "Thank you, Natalie. The fact that you worry so over me gives me the strength I need to do this. Your support has *always* been a great source of strength for me. I couldn't ask for a better assistant. Or a better friend."

Natalie smiles at him. She knows his heart belongs only to Emilie, but she is grateful that she has at least a small place in there. "Thank you for saying that, sir. If you need anything..."

"Yes, I know. Thank you."

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It's Christmas Eve in Paris. The city is a sea of white with recent snowfall, and every street and shop window is lit up against the dark of night with colored lights and Christmas trees. People everywhere are full of good cheer for the holidays--except at the gift-wrapping counter of the town's biggest department store, Iren & Deniz, near the Eiffel Tower. Augustine DuPont is doing his best to wrap a long line of last-minute shoppers' gifts quickly and beautifully, but all he gets for his earnest attempts are grumbling complaints and anger. "Careful, you're ripping the paper!" "That looks like a three-year-old wrapped it!" "Could you possibly move any slower?!"  
Finally, Augustine has had enough. His best isn't good enough or fast enough for anyone, and NO ONE is showing HIM any Christmas Spirit, despite his best efforts to show it to them. He excuses himself out through a door behind him where unshelved items are stocked, shiny red wrapping paper in hand, dejected and stressed.

From the shadows atop the Eiffel Tower, a gray-suited viallain contemplates what his magic jewel tells him. "Ah, a department store clerk trying to bring holiday cheer to his clientele but recaiving jeers for his efforts, making him quite melancholy himself. A ripe soul for one of my akuma! Fly, my little one, and evilize him!"

Out into the sky the black insect flies. It finds its way to the unhappy employee, and inserts itself inside the wrapping paper. "GiftRipper, I am Hawkmoth. I can make your problems DISAPPEAR as your own wrapped gifts for Christmas! I give you the power to wrap up your cheerless peers with your pretty paper...then rip it off to reveal the ABSENSCE of your problem patrons! All I ask for as my own Christmas gift in return is the Miraculous of Ladybug and Cat Noir!"

"You got it, Hawkmoth!"

With that, the paper Augustine is holding enlarges considerably, attaching directly to his hand, and his outfit turns--ironically--into the green garb of a toy-making elf.

Immediately, the akuma victim begins to shoot human-sized sheets of paper out of his hand at nearby shoppers, enveloping them in packaging from which they cannot escape. Then, once a number of people have been wrapped up, he uses his free hand to make a grabbing pose and then pulls it down--ripping part of the paper, from a distance, from each victim in turn. As he does so, part of each encapsulated body becomes exposed for a few moments--and then vanishes! But even with part of the paper ripped, the dissappearing people cannot escape it, as if an invisible forcefield were placed wherever the package was ripped.

Marinette DuPain-Cheng happens to be in this particular store at this time, doing her own last-minute shopping, and soon learns what is going on. She hides to transform into Ladybug. Adrien Agreste soon hears about the commotion from a news broadcast, and slips out of his bedroom window as Cat Noir and heads there.

Ladybug hides behind a counter to watch at first, to see what the new villain's powers are, to try to come up with a strategy, and to wait for her partner. Once she has enough intel, she places a call to the black cat and tells him where to meet her. He soon arrives and sneaks in the back way through a door an employee had left ajar.

"Does Hawkmoth respect NOTHING, Milady?" he asks upon arrival at her side. "It's Christmas Eve!"

"Tell me about it!" The dotted Lady replies. She then brings the kitty up to speed, and they work on strategizing together.

"Well," Ladybug begins, "it doesn't look like we'll be able to approach from the front very easily...maybe we can try to sneak up behind him! But...where do you suppose his akuma is?"

"I don't see any jewelry on his body," Cat Noir responds, "but the gift-wrap roll in his hand is a good possibility...isn't it?"

"Well, he is also wearing an elf hat and shoes...the akuma could also be in one of those. But you may be right. We'll just have to try for all three."

Cat Noir sighs. "They just keep getting weirder and harder, don't they, Bugaboo?"

"You can say that again! But...why don't we go for the hat first? I was thinking you could get in behind him and elongate your pole to knock it off his head, and I'll zip in front to pick it up and tear it in two. If that's where the akuma is, it'll all be over. If not, we had both better get away fast and regroup. Are you game?"

"Always, Milady!" With that, the dotted insect runs out directly into the line of fire, using her acrobatic skills to avoid being "shot," leaping over counters and wrapped people while distracting the cackling criminal long enough for Cat to sneak up behind him. Once in place, Cat Noir knocks GiftRipper's hat off, surprising him enough to make him turn around, giving Ladybug her chance. She quickly rips the hat in half, but there is no akuma released. Ladybug then runs and jumps to get past the perpetrator to regroup with her partner, who has hidden behind a counter, but Hawkmoth has a message for his victim. 

"Go after them, GiftRipper! Wrap Cat Noir, then get close before you rip. Open the package to let his right arm out, then grab his ring before the whole arm disappears! Do the same thing with Ladybug's head to get her earrings!"

"I'll get to them! There are others with less *cheer* that I want! Those two can wait!"

"You DARE defy me?! I will take away your powers if you don't do as I command!"

"Oh very well!"

But by this time, both of the would-be victims are long gone from GiftRipper's sight, concocting Plan B. GiftRipper, unconcerned, continues on outside, looking for pedestrians as he walks on sidewalks and in the road, to wrap and rip. Hawkmoth is frustrated, but knows there will be another chance. The superheroes, being who they are, will be back soon enough.

"Well I guess it wasn't in his hat," Ladybug sighs.

"The shoes are going to be harder. I think the only way to get those is for me to use my special power on them."

"You're right. But we may be able to use the same tactic we just did to knock that roll out of his hand and check it out first and save your Cataclysm in case we need it later!" They nod at each other, and head outside.  
Now that the antihero has gone outside and is wrapping, ripping, and disapperaring people a part at a time on the streets, the evil-fighting duo both have more room to move, but it's harder for Cat Noir to hide behind the man since he is turning every which way to find people to wrap and rip. But the superhero pair don't see any other options. 

Thus, Ladybug and Cat Noir use their gymnastics to keep away from the bad guy until Cat Noir finally gets a chance to elongate his pole again to knock the roll of paper from his hand. But the roll stays put. Thinking that the cat simply didn't hit the paper roll hard enough, Ladybug then slings her yoyo to wrap the string around the roll and gives it a strong yank. The man stumbles forward, almost falling on his face, but the roll doesn't budge. But now both the cat and the beetle are in direct danger with fewer hiding options. They once again use their superhuman feats of movement to keep out of GiftRipper's way until they finally find a place to hide--behind a Christmas tree.

"The akuma has to be in the paper, Cat Noir."

"Looks like it."

"In that case, I'll get in front of him and yoyo his arms to his sides so he can't wrap anyone. You get behind him with your Cataclysm ready and do your thing!"

"Sounds like a plan!" 

Thus, the pair come out of hiding, Ladybug running to get in front of GiftRipper; Cat Noir running to get as close as he can to him from behind. The miscreant's constant turning to and fro in search of new victims leads to a lot of leaps and rolls to get there, but eventually they are both close enough to execute their plan. Ladybug yoyo's GiftRipper, cinching his arms to his sides, the paper roll sticking out parallel to his body, making a large enough target for...

"Cataclysm!" Cat Noir quickly closes the distance between himself and GiftRipper, who is twisting and turning to try to escape, but cannot get away. Noir's hand reaches its target, and dissolves the roll, allowing the black bug inside to escape.

"No more evildoing for you, little akuma," says Ladybug. She swings her yoyo with her famous cry, "Time to de-evilize!" She captures the bug. "Gotcha!" Within moments, she reopens her yoyo, releasing the now-white insect. "Bye-bye, little butterfly!"

This time she has no item to throw, but she swings her yoyo upwards. "Miraculous Ladybug!" Magic swirls around all the wrapped people, and restores them all, and undoes the mess inside the stoor from the battle they had had in there.

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"She didn't use her special power," says a dark figure from across the street. "That will be troublesome, but this is my best chance yet nonetheless."

With that, the gray-suited malefactor flies down on his akuma to the scene, where Cat Noir is saying good-bye to Ladybug because he's about to de-transform.

"Hello, kiddies!" He grins sinisterly. The superhero pair are astonished at his sudden appearance.

"Quick, Cat Noir, go recharge! I'll keep him busy!" Adrien nods, and quickly finds an empty car to transform in.

Hawkmoth swings his staff expertly at Ladybug, but she dodges repeatedly. She manages to get a kick in once, making him shuffle backwards, but he does not fall. She tries to reason with him as he swings at her.

"Give up, Hawkmoth! You know can't win! And it's never too late to start over! Please, stop terrorizing this town!" She ducks a blow to the head and runs backwards to put some distance between them. "You don't HAVE to keep fighting, Hawkmoth! You can end all this! Please, just give up on the wish you're after! It's Christmas Eve, it's a time of forgiveness. Cat Noir and I won't hold all this against you!"

Hawkmoth lunges forward, sweeping at Ladybug's feet with his staff, but she jumps out of the way. He continues to bat at her with his wooden walking stick. "You couldn't possibly understand! The wish I want is something GOOD, not something evil! Once I have it, I WILL end all this! YOU give up, Ladybug!"

"So it's something GOOD you want to wish for, eh?" says a black cat who has just arrived on the scene.

"Cat Noir!" Ladybug and Hawkmoth say in unison.

"I got your back, Milady!" With that, Cat Noir begins to swing his pole at Hawkmoth, clashing with the man's weapon repeatedly. Meanwhile, Ladybug tries to hit him with her yoyo, but he dodges, his staff held above his head to deflect Cat Noir's blows at the same time. She tries to wrap her string around him, but he jumps backward, away from both of the superheros. After a while of two-on-one fighting like this--and neither side getting anywhere--Marinette gets an idea.

"Cat Noir!" she calls out to her partner. "He doesn't have an akuma to find, but he DOES have a Miraculous! Keep an eye our for anything that could be one!"

"Sure thing, Milady!"

It is hard for the couple to focus on looking for jewelry on the man whilst fighting, but eventually, they both notice it.

"Ladybug, the only jewelry I see on his whole body is--"

"I know! I'm on it! Lucky Charm!" Down falls a black, octagonal box. Marinette immediately recognizes it, though it is covered in red dots.

Hawkmoth grins. He was waiting for her to use that power. Now, if he can just avoid whatever is in the box she got from it, he'll soon have her in her helpless human form. He knows that they both now know where his Miraculous is, but he is certain they will never be able to get close enough to him to take it from him.

But much to the villain's surprise, she cries out to her partner to keep Hawkmoth at bay, because she'll be back shortly. He had NOT expected her to leave. The only reason he can think of for her to leave in the middle of a fight is to go get reinforcements. "This is going to get more difficult before it gets any easier," he grumbles to himself. He adds, in thought, 'However...while the bug is gone, I'll have only the cat to deal with. If I can just get him to use his Cataclysm... As far as the reinforcements go, they need only be kept at bay. I don't need THEIR Miraculous, only Ladybug's and Cat Noir's. I can still win this fight even if Ladybug brings every one of her allies here!'

Adrien and Hawkmoth continue to exchange blows. Hawkmoth tries to allow his staff to linger whenever he can before the black-suited hero, tempting him to use his special power, but the boy doesn't take the bait. He was told to fend the man off, not to try and defeat him alone, so he dares not try until Ladybug returns.

"So why don't you tell me what this 'good' wish is, Hawkmoth?" Adrien says to his sparring partner. He grumbles in response. "Ya know," the cat continues, "the Guardian says there is a price to pay if that wish is granted, of equal measure. Even if what you want is something good, getting it with a wish will *take* the same thing away from someone else! That means that ANY wish is a bad one! So please stop this!"

"You don't understand, and I don't care! My wish is of the utmost importance! It's worth any price!"

Adrien then gives up on trying to follow Ladybug's lead in attempting to reform the reprobate, and continues clashing his pole with Hawkmoth's staff.

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"Marinette DuPain-Cheng, pick an ally you can trust to fight alongside you on this mission. Choose wisely. Such powers are meant to serve the greater good. They must never fall into the wrong hands. Once the mission is over you must retrieve the Miraculous from them and bring it back to me."

Marinette eyeballs the jewels carefully. Finally, she makes her decision and takes three Miraculous--the Bee, the Fox, and Master Fu's Turtle.

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Once they are all gathered together, Ladybug tells them her plan.

"I'll stay in front of Hawkmoth with Cat Noir. Chloe--er, uh, Queen Bee--you get behind him. Rena Rouge, you stay off to the side, and don't engage him physically unless you have to. Carapace, you get on the other side of him. Then I want Rena to create illusions of all of us to confuse Hawkmoth; he won't know which ones are real and which ones aren't, so half the time he'll be striking at air. That will give us an advantage. Carapace, when you see Hawkmoth with his staff raised high, I want you to throw your sheild as hard as you can into his side, or his stomach if he faces you, making him bend or fall down from the blow. That's where you come in, Chl--Queen Bee. Use your special power to immobilize him, and then I'll lunge forward and steal his Miraculous! Is everyone clear on what to do now?"

"Yes!" they all agree.

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The four superheroes take their places upon arrival at the scene. Hawkmoth takes a leap in a diagonal fashion, avoiding them all for the time being, but taking a defensive stance. But now no-one is exactly where they are supposed to be. Nonetheless, Ladybug tries to execute the plan with this in mind.

"Now, Rena Rouge!" cries Ladybug. She plays her flute, and Hawkmoth is suddenly surrounded on all sides with illusions of all five champions of justice. But then Hawkmoth does something none of them expect--he sends a bevy of black butterflies out at the sea of illlusions with a wave of his hand, instantly disintegrating them all, leaving only the five real bodies there.

"You didn't think it would be THAT easy to defeat me, did you?" He barks at them.

"Rena Rouge, back away!" cries Ladybug. "Queen Bee, try to retake your place or get close somewhere else if you see a spot! Carapace, look for your opening even if you have to move to find it!"

They all nod and do what they are told.

With Rena out of the picture (because her power is nothing they can really use against Hawkmoth now), it's a four-on-one battle. But as Hawkmoth had said, it would NOT be easy to defeat him. Even with Ladybug's yoyo, Queen Bee's spinning top, Carapace's throwing shield, and Cat Noir's pole, he was adept at jumping, dodging, rolling, side-stepping, and defending with his staff. All of them were taking on this one man alone, yet getting nowhere--except tired. Especially Cat Noir and Ladybug, who have been battling him the longest, right after taking on an akuma victim. But at least they now had their enemy on the defensive instead of attacking.

Hawkmoth eventually gets angry at the onslaught, though, and begins to swing his staff in a proactive manner toward one apponent at a time whilst dodging attacks from the others. He is on his guard. But whilst striking at Cat Noir one time, his staff is finally above his head, pressed against Noir's bar.

"Now, Carapace and Queen Bee!" yells Ladybug, running toward Hawkmoth. 

Carapace slides in front of Cat Noir from the side as those two are pressing their staffs together in the air above their heads, and throws his shield hard into Hawkmoth's stomach. Contact at last! The villain can't help but to fall down to his knees. Queen Bee then calls upon her special power, as she runs up to the villain, and jabs her stinger into Hawkmoth's neck. Ladybug then rushes in and snatches the Butterfly Miraculous off of their opponent's body just below the throat and quickly yoyo's the man's hands together for when the poison wears off and he can move again. Everyone stands back from Hawkmoth in case the plan doesn't work, with the exception of Cat Noir, who quickly takes his place at Ladybug's side as the evildoer they've all fought for so long de-transforms, ready to defend her if he needs to.

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Everyone immediately recognizes the face that emerges from the swirl of magic as Hawkmoth de-transforms. "Gabriel Agreste?!" they all shout in unison--with one exception. "F-father?" croaks out an obviously shocked and heartbroken Cat Noir, loud enough for only Ladybug and Mr. Agreste to hear. Marinette turns her eyes to her partner, her hand firmly on the yoyo.

"A-Adrien?" she whispers. Cat Noir doesn't respond. Marinette can only guess at how upsetting this must be for him. She now knows this is Adrien Agreste--meaning that her love is also her crime-fighting partner--and that he has just learned that the villain they've both been fighting all this time is his own father. "Adrien," she says sympathetically, gently squeezing his shoulder with her free hand. Adrien doesn't notice.

"How could you do this to me?" he whispers to his father.

"It really was you after all? No, not like this. Not like this." Gabriel hangs his head for a moment, then looks back up at his son. "I can explain everything!" he asserts. But Cat Noir simply walks away, Marinette's hand slipping off his shoulder. He stops and turns his head toward Marinette to feebly tell her to "take care of things here," and pole-vaults away.

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That Night:  
Marinette is shocked that Cat Noir is actually Adrien--and she hasn't forgotten that Cat Noir told Ladybug that he was in love with her--but she is too worried about him right now to contemplate the implications of that presently. "I wonder how he's doing right now," she asks herself. "I don't really think he should be alone at a time like this, but maybe he wants to be. Should I go to his house and see him, or should I give him space?"

She contemplates for several hours, her stomach turning. Finally, she decides it would be best to at least go check on him. So she Ladybug's up and makes her way to his bedroom window. It's past midnight, but his light is still on. She taps on the glass.

Moments later, the window is opened. "Adrien," she whispers, momentarily meeting the boy's eyes. She can't help but notice how forlorn, lost, and miserable they look. But he quickly turns his head down to break eye contact with the girl.

"Ladybug," he says quietly. "Come on in."

"Listen, Adrien, about today--"

He glances up at the insect-themed hero. "I'm ok, Ladybug, really. Don't worry about me. But I appreciate your concern." He turns his head back down, and the pair are silent for a moment, neither knowing exactly what to say to the other. Ladybug searches for something comforting to say to the boy, but finds no words.

Finally, Adrien drags his sad eyes up to meet Ladybug's. "I'm sorry I accidentally revealed myself to you. I know you wanted us to keep our true identities secret. I did want to drop the facades and secrets myself, yes, but not this way. I do apologize for that." With that, his eyes hit the floor again, his face dipping down.

Ladybug puts her hand on Adrien's shoulder, making him look up and into her eyes again. "Don't worry about it, Adrien. You have nothing to apologize for; you did nothing wrong. No one else there today heard you call Mr. Agreste 'Father.' He and I are the only people who know who Cat Noir really is, other than Master Fu. And you know you can trust ME with your secret. And I'm fine with knowing. In fact, truth be told, I'm grateful. I'm...glad it's you."

She is talking to Adrien face to face, yet her words are coming out clearly. Partly because the air in the room is so heavy, and partly because she's not exactly Marinette with her mask on. It makes it easier to talk to him.  
She offers the young man a nervous but sincere smile. She wants to say so much more--to tell him who she really is, that he is the 'other boy' she had always talked about, that she loves him more than anyone else in the world, that she wants to be with him. But she knows that now is not the time for all that. Adrien is suffering; he just found out that his sworn enemy whom he has been fighting all this time is his own father. Her first duty is to be there for him, to provide comfort and hope to the best of her ability.

"Thank you for saying that, Ladybug." Adrien replies flatly, before averting his eyes to inspect the floor again. He doesn't doubt that she means what she says, but in his current state, he simply can't revel in it as he would have under different circumstances. He walks away from Ladybug, making her hand slip off his shoulder, to go sit on his bed, his head still lowered.

Ladybug follows, and sits beside Adrien on the bed. She wraps an arm around his shoulders. "Adrien, I know how hard all this must be on you. But maybe you should go see your dad and let him explain. I'm sure he had his reasons for doing what he did. I mean he mentioned a wish before, something he said would be beneficial for everyone. I'm sure that even though his methods were wrong, his intentions were actually good somehow."

Adrien's head pops up at this and he faces Ladybug with anger in his eyes. "Good?! You call terrorizing the whole town on a regular basis and taking control of people 'good'? Let's face it, no matter his reasons for it, my father is a criminal! I mean he's in JAIL now, facing a litany of charges, some quite serious! I can't think of ANYTHING he could possibly want to wish for that would explain away all the crimes he's committed!"

"I'm not saying he isn't guilty of any wrong-doing, Adrien, or that he shouldn't be punished for any of them. I'm simply saying that I don't think your father is truly evil. I think that in his own mind, he was doing the right thing for the end result he was after. He thought his actions were justified if they granted him the wish he wanted, whatever that wish is. If you talk to him, and find out what that wish is, it may explain his actions to YOU; make sense of it all. His motives are surely of importance, too, right? Not just the actions he took because of them?"

Adrien looks down again, this time more contemplative. "Maybe. Maybe not. I just don't know. I feel so lost, confused. I mean I never felt like I really KNEW my dad because he never had time for me, and that feeling has never been stronger than NOW. What if I DO get him to explain, will that be enough to erase this hurt and anger I have at him over this? Will it bring him back home to me when the police have so many charges against him? I'm just not sure learning his motives will help *anyone,* least of all me."

"Well it certainly can't HURT, Adrien. I mean, wouldn't you rest at least a LITTLE more at ease if you could understand what was so important to him that he would do such things to get that wish? Please, Adrien. I'm not asking you to forgive him, I'm simply asking you to *talk* to him, to find out the 'why' that's got to be buzzing around in your head. It may not fix everything, but understanding is the first step toward forgiving, and moving forward with your life in spite of all this."

"I'm not sure I'll understand no matter what he tells me. And I'm not sure I'll *ever* be able to forgive him no matter what he says. I'm not sure I CAN move forward anymore, knowing his reasons or not."

"Perhaps not. But what harm could it do to try? Please just talk to him. I KNOW he wants to talk to YOU. If it helps, I'll even go with you."

Adrien sighs. "I guess you're right. I don't see how this situation could get any worse, talking to him or not. But it won't be easy for me. I mean, he betrayed me and this whole city. My mother would be so ashamed. *I'm* ashamed. But since you recommend it, I'll give it a try. OK, Ladybug?" With that, he lifts his head and looks into the beetle-lady's eyes with hope for the first time since the ordeal went down.

Marinette smiles at him tenderly. "Absolutely, Adrien. So...do you want me to come with you?"

"Well...I kind of want to be alone with him, and at the same time, I don't. Do you think...you could come with me but sort-of hang back a little so I can talk to him in private yet still have a supporter in the room with me?"

"Of course, Adrien. Of course." She smiles at him, and he smiles back. A real one. Marinette is glad to see it. Then they decide on a time to meet up the next day to go and visit the criminal in jail. Then they say their good-byes, each feeling somewhat better now, and Ladybug yoyo's away.

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The next day, Adrien and Ladybug arrive at the jail. Ladybug, being neither lawyer nor family, isn't supposed to be allowed in, but as the superhero who unmasked Hawkmoth, the authorities let her in. She hangs back a bit to give Adrien room, but stays close enough that Adrien can see her and talk to her if he needs her. She will be able to hear Mr. Agreste's confession to his son, for which she feels like an intruder, but Adrien WANTS her here, so she ignores that feeling and listens in on their conversation, keeping her would-be comments on it to herself.

"Alright, Father. I'm ready for an explanation. Why. Why did you do all this? What wish is so important to you that you had to break a dozen laws to try to have it granted?"

"Adrien. First, let me apologize. I'm sorry for what you're going through right now because of me. But the truth is, I did all that for YOU! AND me. It's about your mother. She...isn't really missing. She's...in a state so close to death that the medical world would call it so. You see, I own another Miraculous besides the Butterfly you took from me. The Peacock. It was your mother's. But it was damaged. Using it caused HER damage; it affected her health. Despite my insistence that she stop using it, she would not listen, and used it until she fell into a state deeper than any coma. But it was a state brought on by damaged magic; no regular medical doctor could heal her. So I began to use the Butterfly to become Hawkmoth in order to get the Ladybug and Cat Miraculous so that I could wish her back! Don't you see, son? That wish was my last and only hope of bringing Emilie back to us! I just wanted us to be a family again! I did it all for US!"

Adrien is in shock. His mother isn't really missing? She's...dead, but not dead? And only a wish can save her? THAT was his father's motive? He certainly never would have guessed that one. He does now understand better, though--sort-of.

"Then...if she's not missing...where is she?"

"There is a special place I've kept her body preserved in awaiting the day I could reanimate it with the wish. But now that that possibility is gone...I have no choice but to give up on my promise to her to do whatever I had to to bring her back. Without that wish, there is no cure for her. She will necessarily go from missing to truly gone. I will tell you where she is. So that we can put her to her final rest. There is no longer any hope left for anything else. I failed her. And you. I'm truly sorry, Adrien."

"I...I don't know what to think about all of this, Father. I need some time. Just...tell me where my mother is. I want to see her."

"Very well. Just ask Natalie to show you. She knows."

"Natalie...knew who you were all this time?!"

"Yes, son. She was a good friend to your mother, and has always been my most loyal supporter. She also cares for you. She wanted to bring Emilie back too, for all three of us. Please try to understand. Forgive us, son. Please. We only wanted things to go back to the way they were. We never wanted to hurt anyone."

"But...you knew there was a price to pay; we told you that. Bringing Mom back would've made someone ELSE disappear to take her place. You still tried to use the wish even knowing that?"

"I didn't really stop to think about that. I suppose I didn't really want to. I didn't want to let ANYTHING stand in the way of my all-important wish. What can I say? When it comes to your mother and you...I couldn't help but be selfish. I hope someday you will understand that."

"Well I need time to think. Thanks at least for telling me the truth. Oh, and I'll also be wanting to get that Peacock Miraculous, too, to give back to the Guardian along with the Butterfly."

"Natalie already has instructions to give it to you."

Adrien nods at his father, out of words to say to him. He can't even say "good-bye." He simply gets up, turns to look at Ladybug with sad, confused, angry eyes--and walks out silently.

Ladybug walks quietly out the door with Adrien. Once on the steps outside, Adrien finally speaks. "Thanks for coming, Ladybug. But I'd like to go see my mother now, if you don't mind. And I'd like some time to think for a while if that's ok. I promise I'll get the other Miraculous and bring it to Master Fu very soon. OK?"

"Whatever you need, Adrien. But I'll be back to check on you in a few days, if that's ok."

Adrien nods.

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Adrien finally gets to see his long-lost mother. He can't help but cry at seeing her again after all this time, as his heart breaks knowing she was no longer missing--but actually dead. If a wish is all that can save her, and that wish cannot be made for ethical reasons, then there are no other options but to consider her so. He asks Natalie to arrange for her burial, and goes to his room. To think, and to mourn. And to simmer.

But after a couple of long, intense, sleepless nights and days, his thinking begins to change. When his mother was simply missing, Adrien had always had the hope she would someday be found alive somewhere. But now...he had to accept the fact that he would never see her alive again. He knows that is what his father had wanted to avoid putting his son and himself through. He realizes that his father's motives were good, even if his actions were not. His father wasn't actually evil, despite having been Hawkmoth. He was just a man who loved his wife so much he couldn't bear to be parted from her, and was willing to do *anything* to keep her by his side--and their son's. He knows his father had heard Cat Noir tell him about the tit-for-tat that the universe demands, but that he had chosen to not let himself think about it because of his LOVE for his family, not MALICE toward anyone else. Slowly but surely, he is coming around to both understanding his father, and forgiving him.

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Three days after seeing Gabriel in jail, Ladybug finally goes to check on Adrien. She had wanted desperately to see him every day before that, but he had asked her to give him some time, so she did. She is painfully aware of everything Adrien was now having to go through--and at Christmastime, no less. She and Adrien are both glad that school is still out until after the first as they are both hoping the break will give Adrien a little time to recover before having to see the other kids again with all the publicity his father's story has caused. Nonetheless, Marinette knows that having to face those kids after his father's headline-news story weighs on his mind on top of everything else. She taps on his window, just after dark.

"Hello, Ladybug. Come on in."

"H-how are you doing, Adrien? I've been really worried about you."

"Well, I've definitely had better days. In a two-day span I found out my mother wasn't really missing, that she was beyond saving, and that my dad was Hawkmoth. All on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I spent Christmas alone in my room, with my dad in jail. It's been pretty bad, to be honest with you. But I'm dealing. I think I'm finally coming to grips with it all. I think I'm almost ready to forgive my father, too. I know he only wanted something good for us, not something bad for someone else. But now, after losing my mother for good, I have to worry about losing my father, too. I mean he's got a list of charges against him ranging from disturbing the peace to attempted murder!"

"Well, your dad has the best lawyer in all of France. He's sure to whittle down that list. After all, no one was ever injured or killed by him and he never actually stole anything. I know it doesn't help to say this, but I'll say it anyway. TRY not to worry." She gives him an encouraging smile.

"Thanks, Ladybug. Hearing that from you actually DOES make me feel a bit better." He smiles warmly at her.

"OH, I have something for you. It's a Christmas gift I got for Cat Noir. I didn't get the chance to give it to you the other day for obvious reasons. Just a sec..."

She opens her magic yoyo and pulls out a rectangular box. She hands it to him. "They're mini-macarons from the best bakery in Paris, DuPain-Cheng's. One of each flavor!"

Adrien smiles widely at this. "You...got these...for me?" He looks at her with great appreciation and love in his eyes. Marinette, knowing how he feels for her as Ladybug, smiles shyly back and nods, a flush on her cheeks. 'If only he felt this way for Marinette, too,' she thinks to herself. 

"Oh, thank you, Ladybug! That's really awesome, I love it! But...I feel kinda bad since I didn't get anything for you...I mean I would have, but honestly, I never expected us to have to work like that during the holiday..."

Marinette shakes her head. "No, no, no. No feeling guilty! You didn't need to get me anything. Your friendship is gift enough for me. Really." Another warm smile. Adrien feels a warmth spread through him, replacing--if only temporarily--the more negative emotions he'd been struggling with up until now.

"Ladybug, may I ask you something? You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"Sure, ask me anything. I'll answer if I can."

"Do you...er, uh, I mean...do you KNOW me? I mean, I know you technically do from having rescued me before, but I mean...do we know each other without the costumes? More to the point, do *I* know *you* outside of yours?"

"Um...well...for now, I'd rather not say."

"Well...why not? I mean Hawkmoth is no longer a threat, and you already know MY secret identity...what's so wrong with me knowing yours?"

Marinette doesn't know what to say. He has a point. There is no more enemy to use that information against them should they come to know it. She wants to show and tell everything as she did the moment she found out who he was but now that she's had time to think about it, fear is getting in the way. Her only reason for not wanting to de-transform for him--even though part of her does want to--is simple insecurity. She's terrified of disappointing Adrien--and losing the love he gives her even as Ladybug. She's just so sure that Adrien wouldn't still love Ladybug if he knew she were Marinette because she's so sure that Adrien doesn't love Marinette. After all, she is two different people to him. And one of them is restricted to the friend zone entirely. 

"W-well...um...er...I know Hawkmoth is not an issue anymore, but...you never know when a new enemy will appear! It's still for the best I keep my identity a secret, just in case."

Adrien tilts his head downward with a disappointed sigh. "I figured you'd say something like that. It's really not fair, ya know. You get to know mine but I don't get to know yours. I just don't understand why you cling so hard to secrecy with me. *I'm* not your enemy, and *I* would never tell a soul! If you really trusted me, you'd tell me."

Marinette feels bad for making Adrien feel bad again. But she's just too scared to tell him the truth. However, she decides to take a tiny step forward. 

"I tell you what, Adrien. I will think it over. I'm not making you any promises, but I will give your words some thought. OK? Now cheer up! It's Christmas vacation!" She throws him a winning smile.

Adrien knows he shouldn't put too much hope into her offer, but he can't help himself. This is the closest he's ever been to having no more secrets between the two of them.

Conversation over for now, the pair say good-bye to each other, both in better moods now than they were before they saw one another.

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The next day, Marinette approaches the front gates of the Agreste mansion, and presses the doorbell. The wall camera juts out like a living thing, eyeballing Marinette, as Natalie's voice comes over the loudspeaker.

"May I help you?"

"Y-yes, um, I'm a friend of Adrien's, and I have a belated Christmas gift for him. C-could I please come in and, um, give it to him? Please?"

"I'm sorry, but he isn't accepting visitors today. You may leave the gift in the box." The golden square opens up, ready to recieve the wrapped package.

"Mrs. Sancoeur, please would you let me in? I would really like to give this to him in person. My name is Marinette! We're really good friends. Could you at the very least ASK him?" 

"Very well. Wait here a moment."

A few minutes later--an eternity to the very trepidatious girl--Natalie is back.

"You may enter," she says, opening the gates.

"Th-thank you very much!" Marinette squeals as she rushes through the now-open gate.

"H-h-hi, Adrien!" squeaks out an anxious Marinette when she sees the object of her affections.

"Hey there, Marinette!" he says back with a wave. "Thanks for coming. What did you want to see me about?"

Marinette has the box behind her back. "W-well, I m-missed you at Christmas, but I meant to uh, er, gift you a give I made, I mean give you a gift I made, because your'e sooo hot, I mean IT'S so hot. No, I mean it's so cold! I mean here!" With red cheeks and closed eyes, she takes the package from behind her back and thrusts it outward toward Adrien. He takes it.

"Wow, you actually got me something for Christmas? You sure are thoughtful, Marinette."

"W-well, that's I wanted all. I mean all I wanted! Bye!" She waves furiously in sheer nervousness.

"H-hey, hold on there! At least let me open it first!"

"O-ok," Marinette barely manages to eek out. She's very embarrassed, and jittery, but excited at the same time. She had knitted him a pair of mittens out of the same yarn she had made the scarf she gave him out of (that he thought his dad gotten him).

"I noticed how you w-wear a l-light blue s-scarf but no mittens so I mitted a pair of knittens, I mean knitted a pair of mittens. I tried to color the match, I mean match the color. So anyway, I hope you like them."

"Marinette...these are wonderful! They look like an exact match for my scarf, good eye! No wonder you're so good at fashion designing. Ya know, you're the only friend who's brought me a gift of any kind, and here these are hand-made, just for me. Marinette, you're truly amazing. I love them. Thank you." With that, a truly grateful Adrien gives Marinette a *hug.*

She wraps her arms around him in return, resting her burning cheek on his, smelling his hair and feeling like she is floating in space. She forgets everything and everyone. There is only Adrien.  
"Alright, Mrs. DuPain-Cheng, you've delivered your gift. You may leave now."

Marinette hears Natalie's words like a song playing in another room. It bounces around her head a couple of times before it sinks in that she's being asked to leave--and probably because she's STILL holding onto Adrien! She jerks herself away from the boy, thoroughly embarrassed, and says good-bye.

"Bye, Marinette. Thanks again!"

The girl walks home in a dazier daze than she has ever has before. Despite all the awful things that have happened lately, and all the terrible feelings she was going through for Adrien's sake, today there is only joy.

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Gabriel is allowed out of jail to attend his wife's funeral. He wanted an intimate gathering only for people who knew her, so few are allowed in, but outside the cemetary gates is a horde of reporters with cameras. Gabriel instructs his son to ignore them. But Adrien didn't need his father to tell him that.

Natalie can see the pain on the Agreste men's faces. Her heart aches for them. As a gesture of comfort to Gabriel, she squeezes his hand for a second--only to have it grasped back by Gabriel. She is much saddened for him, and is herself saying good-bye to a beloved friend, but cannot deny that her heart is in that handlock.

Marinette did not ask to join them; she felt it would be wrong, considering she never knew Emilie and was just a casual friend to Adrien. However, she wished to support him there in some way, so she wiggles her way to the front of the sea of reporters, to watch through the gates from a distance. Much to her surprise, Adrien notices her! He gives her a slight nod of recognition, and a weak smile.

After the service, Gabriel is returned to jail. Adrien approaches his uninvited guest--and thanks her for coming. He is truly grateful that someone cared enough to come to this somber occasion for HIS sake. 

"I'm sorry I can't make this any easier for you, Adrien," Marinette says in perfect English, even without her mask.

"Don't be. You came. You came to show your suppport. That's all that matters. Thank you very much, Marinette."

She smiles at him. "Think nothing of it."

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Over the next few weeks, the Agreste family lawyer quickly gets a number of Gabriel's charges dismissed with fines, and his attempted murder charge reduced to reckless endangerment. For that, he gets six months of house arrest, which suits the elder Agreste just fine. The man's business is stalled flat, at first, as people first discover that he was the notorious Hawkmoth, but as people learn of his tragic reasons for doing it, business begins to steadily pick back up again. Adrien's modeling career shifts along with his father's business, but Adrien doesn't really care one way or the other; it is his father who insists he model. But what assures the junior Agreste the most are the things that have nothing to do with careers, money, or his father's past: Ladybug comes to check on him regularly, everyone at school shows great support instead of making fun, and his closest friends go out of their way to be there for him--the tongue-tied gift-giver most of all. She seems to be everywhere he goes these days--and he's grateful. He thinks to himself how she is the kindest and most thoughtful girl in his whole school. He feels lucky to have her as a friend.

But what makes Adrien the most hopeful is the fact that his father spends more time with him. Since he came home from jail, Gabriel has been having dinner with his son most nights, usually inviting Natalie to join them. He occasionally plays duets with him on piano, unasked. He sometimes even fences with him in the wide open foyer behind the front door. Adrien's palacial cage is beginning to feel like a home again.

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Now that the dust has settled, Marinette is giving serious thought to telling Adrien everything. As Marinette, she always *wanted* to tell him how she felt, and the only reason she kept her dual identity secret from him as Ladybug was because of Hawkmoth. But every time she considers it, she fills with a foreboding fear. She knows that Adrien, being Cat Noir, is in love with her as her other self, but has strictly platonic feelings toward her every-day self. If she tells Adrien she loves him as Marinette, it won't do any good because he's in love with Ladybug and has NO feelings for her. If she confesses that she IS Ladybug, she fears he will STOP loving her because he will be disappointed in her. It's not Marinette he cares for, after all. In the end, fear gets the better of her and she chooses to keep the status quo and love him evermore fiercely from a safe distance.

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It's the middle of January now, and its Adrien's birthday! His father, despite the progress he's made in giving Adrien more freedom, still won't budge on the party thing. So Marinette brings to school a box of petit-fours in lieu of a birthday cake, and another hand-knitted item to match the other two. But giving them to the boy isn't going to be easy for her.

"A-Adrien!" she says with a smile, right after the last bell. She had intended to give him her gifts BEFORE class, but chickened out. So it's now or never. 

"Hey, Marinette!"

"I-I have you for something. I mean I have something for you! I know you can't party have, er, uh, have a party, so I got you these petit fours as cake. Oh! And a small present. Happy Birthday! Bye!" She gives him a goofy grin as she hands off the gifts, waving nervously.

"Wait! Don't be so quick to run off, Marinette. Is it...ok with you if I open this?" 

"Sure! You of course can! I mean of course you can!" Still with the goofy grin.

Adrien opens the box to find a light blue winter hat that's obviously the same color as the scarf and mittens.

"You...you made this for me?" Adrien says with wonder. He can't get over how thoughtful she is, to make him gifts by hand like this.

"W-well, I know over half is winter, I mean winter is half over, but it will cold be still, I mean it will still be cold, for a while. I thought you use it could. I thought you could use it!"

"Thank you, Marinette. You're the nicest girl in the whole class. You just made today feel like a real birthday, not just another ordinary one. Thank you." He kisses her cheek, making her flush.

"Your welcome, Adrien," she says with a smile. "See you at school tomorrow."

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That night, Adrien is looking at his gift while eating the petit fours Marinette had given him. "Plagg...don't you think Marinette is really sweet? She made this for me with her own hands. And the matching mittens. She gave me these petit fours because I couldn't have a party. She's really thoughtful, isn't she?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Did she give you any cheese?"

"And she gave me her own lucky charm, too. And she's always been there for me, both as Adrien and as Cat Noir. I mean she came to support me at my mother's funeral! No one else did that."

"Are you going somewhere with this?"

"She comforted me as Cat Noir when Ladybug stood me up. She spent a whole day running around with me *in her pajamas* when I was hiding from my bodyguard and screaming fans. She's really amazing, isn't she?"

"Are you even listening to me?"

"She told me she loved me as Cat Noir. I wonder if that's still true? And how she feels about me as Adrien?"

"Uh...are you going soft on her, Adrien?"

"She's really a good friend. Wouldn't it be...kinda cool if SHE was Ladybug? I mean they do both have black hair and blue eyes..."

"Ok, so you're definitely NOT listening to me and you definitely ARE going soft on her."

"Wh-what? Did you say something Plagg?"

Plagg sighs heavily, dropping his shoulders and tilting his head toward the ground. "Nothing at all, Adrien." 'They are the same person anyway. So I guess it's a good thing that he likes Ladybug's alter ego so much.'

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A month has passed since Emilie Agreste's funeral, but Ladybug still checks on Adrien from time to time. She wants to make sure he's ok, and make sure he never feels alone. She wants to be there for him if he wants to talk. And, of course, she has selfish reasons for doing it as well. But tonight, as she's been fearing the whole time, it happens. He asks.

"Ladybug, have you given any thought to what I said before? Don't I deserve to know the truth about you?"

She looks at her feet and sighs. "Yes, Adrien, you do. I'm just...I'm just a little scared, that's all." 'That was hard to admit,' she adds in thought.

"Really? Scared of what?"

"I don't want to disappoint you, Adrien. You won't feel the same way about me if you know who I really am. Really, I'm nobody special. And I hate being ANYONE'S disappointment."

"That's not even possible. Will you please, for once in your life, TRUST me? Please? I've waited so long, I've been more than patient. Please don't let a little insecurity come between us..."

"That's just it, Adrien! There IS no us! We KNOW each other, ok? And we're just FRIENDS! It's all we ever were, it's all we ever will be! I just can't, ok? Not that I don't want to, not that I didn't think of doing that very thing when I first learned who you were, but now that I've had time to think about it, I just can't. Please stop asking!"

"Then maybe you should stop thinking so damn much! THAT'S your problem here!" His tone is angrier than his face shows. He's really just frustrated.

"I can't NOT think about it, Adrien, I'm sorry."

"Then will you at the very least answer one simple question for me?"

Marinette sighs. *Anything* to keep her identity secret. "Sure."

"I know you've always said you were in love with someone else before, but...things have changed a lot recently. Is it still true? Do you still love someone else?"

'Shit! How the hell do I answer that?! If I say yes, I'll be lying to his face! If I say no, he might figure out that HE was the other guy all along! Then he might figure out who I am and know how I feel but won't feel the same and he'll be disappointed and it'll be a disaster! I can't do either! But I have to choose one or the other or he'll make me de-transform!'

"Uh...umm...errr...well...the truth is...I have to say...honestly...no. There, I said it. I am not in love with someone else. Satisfied?!" She huffs in mock anger, really more scared and embarrassed than anything else.

Adrien's eyes light up as a grin spreads across his face. It wasn't a love confession, but at least that pesky 'other guy' was finally history! He finally has a real chance! "Woohoo!" he hollers, glad to live in a castle-house where nobody can hear him shout.

Seeing Adrien this happy--without having to reveal ALL her secrets--makes Marinette very happy herself. It was worth her discomfort. She grins back at him.

"Wait, wait, wait. Wait just a minute here..." As Marinette had feared, he is suspcious now that perhaps he himself had been the other guy, considering that Ladybug didn't know that he and Adrien were one and the same back then, but now that she does, there IS no other guy? "In that case, I've got ANOTHER question for you! I know what you've always said before, but since that's no longer true, then maybe...this time..."

"What is it now?" she asks, worried about the answer to that. Adrien's questions are hazardous for her health!

"Let me ask you straight up, and you answer me straight up. Ladybug...do you love me?"

'Double shit! If I say no I'll be lying to his face; if I say yes he'll know that BOTH of me love him and he'll insist I transform and then he'll be disappointed and it'll be a nightmare! Same quandary! I can't answer that!'

"Um...er...uh...well...I think you know the answer to that, Adrien."

"Humor me. Assume I know nothing. If you can tell me flat out that you don't love me, I'll stop bothering you about transforming for me. One single word is all I'm asking for. Yes or no."

A dreadfully long silence fills the room. Adrien has his arms crossed in front of him, daring her to answer him, a smirk of satisfaction on his face at knowing he has her right where he wants her. 

"Tick-tock, Ladybug. Yes or no?" His Cat Noir is showing.

She exhales deeply, then sucks in a breath of forced courage. "ALRIGHT YOU FREAKING BULLY YES I LOVE YOU!"

Her face turns redder than her Ladybug outfit and she drops her eyes to stare holes into Adrien's carpet. But he won't allow that. He tucks a finger under her chin, pulling her face up for their eyes to meet. He can see that she's fearful, but he hopes to put those fears to rest very quickly. Without a word of warning, his leans his head in close to hers and gently presses his lips to hers.

Marinette soars above the stars, her heart palpitating frantically. She forgets all about her fear, her frustration, her embarrassment. This is her first real kiss with the love of her life, and she exists only in the space they share together. There is room here for nothing else.

After a blissful eternity, Adrien slowly backs his face away from Marinette's just enough to peer into her blue eyes. With a warm but serious look, he whispers to her, "Trust. Me."

Marinette's head is swimming. Adrien's strong--yet soft--command is compelling under the circumstances. She is still afraid, but if anyone is worth taking a risk on, it's Adrien. Still drunk from his kiss, she gives him a slight nod. He steps away from her with a small but genuine smile. At long last...

Her voice is barely above a whisper. "Tikki...spots off." Her body begins to shiver slightly with apprehension as her Ladybug begins to fade. Adrien watches with intense interest. And soon it is Marinette DuPain-Cheng that stands before him. She looks at him with trepidation.  
He smiles affectionately at her. "Marinette. I was actually hoping it would be you, truth be told. I'm FAR from disappointed." With that, he pulls the trembling girl into a warm hug. She breaths a big sigh of relief, wrapping tightly around Adrien, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm so glad," she whispers into his ear.

"Thank you for finally trusting me. I love you, Marinettte."

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Meanwhile, downstairs, Natalie is walking into Gabriel Agreste's office carrying his dinner on a tray. He turns toward her and takes the tray, then sets it down on his desk.

"Thank you, Natalie."

"Yes sir. Will that be all?"

"Actually...Natalie, how long have you been my assistant?"

"Five years, sir."

"Yes, five years of loyal service and support. I think I have been remiss in showing you my appreciation. Why don't we go out for dinner? Pierre Gagniere, seven o'clock. Wear something nice."

Natalie's eyes fly open wide. "S-sir? Y-you want to...go OUT? With...me?"

Gabriel gives her the slightest smile. "That's what I said, isn't it?"

Natalie smiles widely. "Yes sir! I'll be ready by six thirty!"

"Very good."

With that, she exits the room. She backs up against the door now separating them to catch her fleeting breath, her heart pounding, her smile unwavering.

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The next day, Marinette and Adrien walk into school together, holding hands. Most people cheer for and congratulate the new couple, but Chloe is livid. She approaches Marinette, still holding onto Adrien's hand.

"What do you think you're doing with MY Adrikins, Marinette DuPain-Cheng!" At the same time, she yanks Marinette's hand out of Adrien's. She doesn't want to believe that Adrien chose ANYONE over her, much less her worst enemy!

Marinette opens her mouth to speak, but Adrien speaks up first. Agitated, he calls her out. "Chloe, I do not belong to you! I am WITH Marinette now, whether you like it or not!" Chloe is shocked. But then Adrien relaxes his face and softens his tone, putting a friendly hand on her shoulder. "Please don't give us a hard time, ok? I'm STILL your friend." With that, he gives her a small smile. Hurt and angry, Chloe walks away, spitting her favorite catchphrase. "Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!"

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Marinette asks, concerned in spite of the girl's behavior. 

"She'll be fine. Chloe is pretty strong, ya know." He smiles at his new girlfriend, marveling in how kind she can be even to someone who seems to hate her.

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6 Months Later

Natalie remains as professional as always--except for the hint of a smile that never leaves her lips and the undeniable twinkle in her eyes. Gabriel, too, is a consumate professional, but now one with a softer tone and more prone to smile. Adrien is happier than ever. He finally has his Ladybug, and his father's love. Despite all the heartache, frustration, and stress the Agreste household has been through, everyone is in higher spirits now.

Marinette couldn't be happier, living her dream. She finally got Adrien to love her. There is nothing more in the universe that she wants from it.

The End

**Author's Note:**

> I also have two other stories on here, "Revelations: A Miraculous Ladybug and Cat Noir Story," traditional reveal/romance, and "Terrible Irony", about if Hawkmoth wins scenario. Soon also there will be a crackfic/AU short called "Upside Down and Backwards," so keep a look out if you are interested! :) (shamefully plugging myself on all these, attention whore I have apparently come to be recently! Sorry hehe)


End file.
